singapore math

Attention parents of grade schoolers in Manila: You may want to attend Raising Critical Thinkers Through Singapore Math. It is a rare chance for you to workshop with foremost Singapore Math expert Dr. Yeap Ban Har. Google him for his credentials.

Dr. Ban Har is consultant and Math teacher trainer for Keys Grade School - the first Philippine school to engage with him in an actual lesson study for Singapore Math.

But even if your kids don't go to Keys, you should get something from the talk too. Schools like Ateneo, Xavier, Beacon, Singapore School and many more have adapted or are starting to use Singapore math methods. Today's best-practices for teaching math are WORLDS APART from how we were once taught. Since we need to help our kids with their homework, this seminar should be valuable to tutor-moms-and-dads.

Teachers from other schools are already booked for this event. Parents from other schools are welcome as well.

The latest Keys Grade School Newsletter contains these Quick Facts About Singapore Math:

1. Singapore Math is a general term used loosely to refer to the math curriculum content, materials, and teaching method applied in all schools in Singapore. When a school says they do Singapore Math, it might mean a whole variety of things. It might simply mean they use Singaporean textbooks or it might mean that the way they teach Math follows the principles applied in math teaching in Singapore.

2. The world first started to take note of the Singapore Math curriculum when Singapore consistently topped international standardized tests in Math called TIMSS in 1995, 1999 and 2003. These are the same tests in which Filipino students consistently ranked at the bottom of the group.

3. In 2004, ten US universities such as Michigan State University offered teacher training courses on teaching math the Singapore way. Since then, around 300 school districts and systems across the US have adopted Singapore Math, including the California State Board of Education.

4. The methods and techniques in teaching used by Singapore math teachers are based on sound education principles, not on any experimental ideas. Consequently, Singaporean educators do not call what they do "Singapore Math" because to them what they are doing is simply teaching Math well.

RAISING CRITICAL THINKERS WITH SINGAPORE MATH

When: Saturday, 26 September 2009, 1:30 to 4:30PM

Where: Top Shelf, Fully Booked at High Street, The Fort

For reservations, you can call Keys Grade School at

723-4979 or 727-9357. Seminar Fee is PhP850.

Pappy and I are booked. Hope to see you there!